Tubridge Old Fort

Just under a league to the east of Tubridge on the north side of the Craglin River lies The Old Fort. The fort was decommissioned 300 years ago when the Tubridge New Fort was built to the south, indeed, some of its stones were even reused in the construction of that castle. Now centuries of wind and rain have taken their toll and the site of the old fort is little more than a ruin on a rise in the forest with nothing more than a few walls still standing.
The true name of the site is Castle Cairnhorn and was the ancestral home of the barons of Cairnhorn over 200 years. The 6th baron had no heirs so upon his death in the year 4450 it was decided that given the war doctrines at the time, a new fort should be constructed south of the town, pushing the de-facto border a few miles south.
Occasionally wild animals and even an occasional monster have been known to take shelter amongst the tumbled walls. For obvious reasons, locals tend to stay away from the ruins, and even the surrounding area has a reputation for danger. It is rumoured that there are still tunnels underneath the fort, and recently what looks like spider webs have been spotted around the taller of the two towers...

Architecture

This castle was not well constructed by modern standards, mostly just rough stone mortared together without being worked further. The outer walls were thick with rough stone rubble infill. There is a partial upper floor remaining in the larger tower, although this has mostly collapsed. there is a flagstone floor in this tower also, although it has been mostly covered with dirt and grass. The taller tower has a doorway raised about 8ft above the ground, but the inside is completely empty except for a well.

History

When Castle Cairnhorn was first built, the Kingdom of Casteidan was a young country keen to secure its borders and discourage rivals. The castle commanded a position on the southern border of the land at the top of the Great Scarp near the only place for hundreds of miles where the Craglin River can be crossed with minimal difficulty.
It was a relatively small fortress by modern standards, with just two towers, one large and one small, and a few buildings within a modest compound. The large tower was the shorter of the two, but this housed the main living space for the baron and his family, The taller, narrower tower acted as a watchtower and housed other workspaces such as the kitchens. With other buildings for stables and an armoury, the castle was quite self-sufficient.
By the time of the death of the 6th baron in 4450, relations between Casteidan and the Wild Naalva on the plains to the south was tense but stable. It was decided that a new modern fortress was needed as a show of power.

Tales in the dark

The site of the old fort has been the source of many tales over the years. From stories to scare children into staying close to home, to tales told over a few ales in the 'the Dragon'. Even a few tales that are only told in the depth of night round a bright fireside.
It is said that the fort is the cause of livestock disappearances and even that of a few people in the past. The place is said to echo with howls in the night, the cries of lost souls searching for their tumbled down, ruined home...

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RUINED STRUCTURE
4450

Alternative Names

Castle Cairnhorn

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Tubridge

Owning Organization

Estonshire